The Stone Sky
Chapter 14: THE DESERT, BRIEFLY, AND YOU
by Jemisin, N. K.The chapter opens with the community of Castrima preparing to cross the Merz desert during a harsh Season. Tonkee, an Innovator, assures Ykka that water and temperature won’t be major issues due to dew-catchers and ash clouds. However, the real danger lies in the scarcity of food, as most desert life hibernates underground. Stonelore advises against desert travel during Seasons, but Castrima has no choice. The comm spends two days preparing, though Ykka privately admits no amount of preparation can prevent casualties. The protagonist, aware of their own survival advantage thanks to Hoa, resolves to bear witness to the suffering and fight to minimize losses.
The community works tirelessly to stockpile supplies before the journey. Cookfires run double shifts to preserve food, while Maxixe’s survivors aid in foraging for abandoned resources. Speed is critical, as survival depends on crossing the desert before supplies run out. Tonkee oversees the redesign of storage wagons for better durability and efficiency, while Resistants and Breeders redistribute supplies to mitigate risks. The chapter highlights the collective effort and ingenuity required to face the desert’s challenges, underscoring the grim reality that some will not survive the crossing.
The narrative shifts to a personal moment the night before the desert crossing. The protagonist, struggling to eat with one arm, is approached by Danel, a former Lorist now in the Strongbacks. Danel reveals her knowledge of the protagonist’s past as a ten-ring orogene and their rumored ability to manipulate obelisks. She probes further, suggesting the protagonist plans to end the Season and may need companions. The conversation takes a reflective turn as Danel shares her identity as a Lorist, a caste traditionally tasked with preserving knowledge and fighting skills, and laments forgetting parts of her heritage due to the Season’s upheaval.
Danel’s revelation adds depth to her character and hints at the broader cultural erosion caused by the Season. She sees the protagonist as a potential hero in a new story, though the protagonist dismisses the idea. The chapter ends on an ambiguous note, with Danel’s belief in the protagonist’s role contrasting with their own uncertainty. This exchange underscores themes of identity, legacy, and the weight of responsibility in a world where survival and storytelling are intertwined. The desert looms ahead, symbolizing both physical and existential trials for the community and the protagonist.
FAQs
1. What are the primary dangers of crossing the desert during a Season, and how is Castrima preparing for these challenges?
Answer:
The desert during a Season poses two main dangers: starvation due to the hibernation of animals and insects deep under the sand, and the lack of surface vegetation, which has either shriveled or been eaten. Stonelore explicitly advises against desert travel during this time. Castrima prepares by utilizing dew-catchers for water, relying on ash clouds for shade, and preserving food through roasting insects, drying tubers, and salting meat. The Innovators redesign storage wagons for lighter travel, while Resistants and Breeders redistribute supplies to mitigate losses. Despite these efforts, Ykka acknowledges that some deaths are inevitable.2. How does the protagonist’s relationship with Hoa create both privilege and emotional burden in this chapter?
Answer:
Hoa’s ability to whisk the protagonist away to Corepoint in danger provides a survival advantage, which the protagonist describes as “cheating, maybe.” This privilege creates guilt, as they must watch others suffer and die during the desert crossing. The protagonist resolves to “bear witness” and fight to minimize casualties, highlighting the emotional burden of their unique position. This dynamic underscores themes of responsibility and moral conflict, as the protagonist balances their safety with the collective struggle of Castrima.3. Analyze the significance of Danel’s revelation about her Lorist caste heritage. How does this deepen her character and the story’s themes?
Answer:
Danel’s admission that she is Lorist caste (Danel Lorist Rennanis) reveals her forced transition into the Strongbacks due to Rennanis’ prioritization of soldiers over storytellers. This backstory enriches her character by showing her struggle to preserve her identity and knowledge (“I’ve tried not to forget who I really am”). It also underscores the theme of cultural erosion during Seasons, as she laments forgetting Tablet Three and the Tale of Emperor Mutshatee. Her role as a Lorist—traditionally defenders of knowledge—ties into broader themes of memory, survival, and the preservation of history amid crisis.4. How does the protagonist’s reaction to being called “rogga” reflect their evolving identity and the societal tensions in Castrima?
Answer:
The protagonist corrects Danel sharply, insisting on “orogene” instead of “rogga,” emphasizing that the latter is a slur only reclaimed by orogenes themselves. This reflects their unresolved trauma from Fulcrum oppression and resistance to Ykka’s attempt to neuter the term into a “use-caste name.” The tension highlights broader societal divides: stills (non-orogenes) casually adopt the term, while orogenes like the protagonist see it as a violent label. The exchange underscores the struggle for dignity and self-definition in a community still grappling with caste prejudices.5. Danel implies the protagonist is a “hero” of a new story. How does this foreshadow future events, and why might the protagonist reject this label?
Answer:
Danel’s remark foreshadows the protagonist’s pivotal role in ending the Season, hinting at their upcoming journey to Corepoint and the need for companions. The protagonist’s denial (“I don’t know anything about that”) reflects their reluctance to embrace a heroic narrative, likely due to past failures (e.g., the Rifting) and distrust of grand destinies. This tension between external perception and internal doubt sets up future conflicts about agency, legacy, and whether one person can—or should—bear the weight of saving the world.
Quotes
1. “Stonelore’s advice on entering deserts during Seasons is simply: don’t. Unless you mean to starve.”
This quote encapsulates the harsh reality of desert survival during Seasons, establishing the dire stakes for Castrima’s journey. It highlights the chapter’s theme of unavoidable suffering and the brutal pragmatism required for survival.
2. “Bear witness, and fight like earthfires to keep death from claiming more than its share.”
A powerful statement of the protagonist’s commitment to Castrima’s survival, despite her personal safety. It reflects the moral weight of leadership and the obligation to mitigate suffering where possible.
3. “‘Orogene.’ It’s petty, maybe. Because of Ykka’s insistence on making rogga a use-caste name, all the stills are tossing the word around like it doesn’t mean anything. It’s not petty. It means something. ‘Not rogga. You don’t get to say rogga. You haven’t earned that.’”
This exchange represents a crucial moment of identity assertion and reclamation. The protagonist insists on proper terminology, challenging caste-based language and asserting the dignity of orogenes.
4. “Soldiers might get a comm through a Season, but storytellers are what kept Sanze going through seven of them.”
Danel’s revelation about the Lorist caste introduces the theme of cultural preservation as survival strategy. This insight elevates storytelling from mere tradition to a vital survival mechanism during apocalyptic times.
5. “The hero of the story never does.”
Danel’s closing remark foreshadows the protagonist’s reluctant role in shaping history. This meta-commentary on storytelling hints at the larger narrative arc while questioning the nature of heroism in their world.